As The Years Pass By
by Crazylily1007
Summary: In their earlier years of Hogwarts, Remus Lupin and Lily Evans were nothing more than mere acquaintances. But years pass by and times change. Their relationship changes from mere acquaintances to a solid friendship. Centers on the friendship of Remus and Lily. Hints of Jily and RLNT
1. Chapter 1: The Early Years

**A/N: Hello! It's been while since I've posted or written a Marauders fic. I had originally started writing out headcannons when this story just started writing itself. Well, hope you enjoy, and remember your reviews make my day! :)**

 **Disclaimer: Everything you recognize (characters, Hogwarts, chocolate brands) belong to J.K. Rowling. I'm simply having fun with her wonderful work.**

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In their earlier years of Hogwarts, they are not even friends, much less close friends. They are merely acquaintances in the same year and the same house. First year Lily Evans grudgingly admits that Remus Lupin is "the most alright one" among the other Gryffindor boys; for first year Remus Lupin, Lily Evans is the fiery red head that warrants respect among other first years and also the girl that his new friend seems to enjoy teasing.

They run into each other constantly but it is only during class they actually acknowledge each other. They don't hate each other - although Remus had a feeling Lily hated his new friends James and Sirius – it's just indifference. As the year progresses they see more of each other studying in the library or the common room. It is perfectly understandable. Lily Evans is the top of the class and Remus Lupin isn't doing too badly himself and is just as hard working.

But all the same, she doesn't like what he and his friends do to Severus.

They arrive as second years at the now familiar castle. Things aren't much different between Lily Evans and Remus Lupin. He's still the only "sort of decent one" among the ragtag group that now calls themselves the Marauders; and she seems as formidable as ever, or as much as a twelve-year-old could be. They still rarely acknowledge each other on a personal level other than a simple nod here and there. One small change takes place though. They start to study together occasionally in the library or the common room. It's not a lot of interaction: "Lupin" asking politely about a particularly difficult Potions question to which "Evans" would reply politely back. She, in turn, politely drops a question regarding Defense of the Dark Arts from time to time and he answers with the same politeness. Again, it is quite natural. Peter isn't exactly bright and James and Sirius may be bright but aren't the type to be cooped up in a library to work diligently on their essays.

These mutual study sessions result in something that vaguely resembles a growing friendship.

A cordial wave and a "Hello, Lupin" from Lily takes Remus by surprise, especially since he's walking by with James. He returns it with a small smile and a shy "hullo". James bellows out Hello Evans behind him which Lily promptly ignores.

It is towards the end of their 2nd year that Remus starts to suspect that James might have a reason for always trying to grab Lily's attention.

Lily still doesn't approve of what he and the other marauders do to Severus, though.

By third year, "Lupin" occasionally becomes "Remus" and an occasional slip of the tongue means that "Evans" is exchanged for "Lily" from time to time. Yes, they are certainly close acquaintances, maybe even friends. But Lily still has Severus and Remus still has his marauding friends who are getting rowdier and rowdier, meaning that friendly smiles exchanged over library books or small talk as they finish up their essays in the common room is still the only warm exchanges they have. There are also the friendly waves in the hallways, with James always bellowing out a HULLO EVANS somewhere in the background.

It is in December of their third year that Lily and Severus pass by the Marauders whispering in front of the snowy Shrinking Shack. Later when Lily returns to the castle alone, cold and shivering because Snape left her for his creepy housemates that say nasty things about her kind, Remus is the one to quietly hold out a slab of Honeyduke's chocolate bar in a comforting gesture.

It is also the year that Remus _knows_ James is smitten with Lily although James himself doesn't even know yet.

Fourth year is when "Lupin" is permanently replaced with "Remus" and "Evans" with "Lily". Their study sessions are now regular. They occasionally sit down together by the lake and have discussions about anything from chocolate frogs to the O.W.L.s next year. It's usually when James and Sirius are nowhere to be found or in detention because, Merlin, Lily still doesn't like the other Marauders and what they do to Snape although he is slipping further and further away from her. She even refuses to speak to Remus a couple of times but soon shows up for their studying sessions anyway.

Lily is Remus's first friend outside the circle of marauders. First close friend that is. He has his share of friends as the Marauders have become quite popular among the student body. But Lily is different. She is the first friend he has made without any ties to the marauders and she offers him peace when he is (sometimes) tired of the others' antics.

Remus is very different from her other friends. Usually quiet and reserved, but he occasionally has a quirky sense of humor. Different from her girl friends and Severus. He is a friend she can talk about all sorts of insane things with, who always has a slab of chocolate nearby.

It is also the year that James Potter realizes that he fancies Lily Evans.

Surprisingly, James doesn't seem to mind much. At least not on the outside. It is Sirius who is smirking and teasing Remus for "fraternizing with the enemy" and teasing James for "losing his girlfriend". James knows he is a tad jealous but he's happy for his friend. Although Remus is definitely his best friend (he wouldn't be staying up late poring over transfiguration books acquired by _certain_ methods from the restricted section trying to figure out how to be an Animagus if he didn't think so) James knows Sirius and himself tended to share closer bonds. If it made Remus happy to be engaged in whatever conversation he has with Li- Evans, it was fine by him.

So he cuffs Sirius on the back of his head and tell him to shut up. And proceeds to pester Remus constantly about what Lily said about him, trying to hide the small glimmer of jealousy from ever showing itself. Remus focuses on his pie and tells James that ever since Lily called James an "arsehole" in one of their conversations and turned things awkward they tended to steer away from the topic (Remus is the guy's best friend after all, and what kind of a best friend would he be if he doesn't defend his friend's honor?).

Remus catches James's face fall for a fraction of a second before he blurts out jokingly, "Evans talks about me!"

Remus notices that his friend's voice is too loud to be a true joke.


	2. Chapter 2: The Fifth Year Part 1

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters and anyhing you recognize. They are all properties of J.K Rowling.**

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Fifth year is when everything turns upside. Metaphorically speaking, and in some cases- literally.

Remus and Lily are both named Gryffindor prefects, and the time they spend around each other naturally increase. They keep up their studying sessions together but now they have patrols together too; these patrols comprise of quiet walks around the nearly deserted castle save for a couple of occupants of a broom cupboard that they have to flush out.

Remus blushes the first time they catch two people in the cupboard. Lily purses her lips and shoos her friend Marley McKinnon and - to Remus's embarrassment - his _best_ friend Sirius Black.

"Hey! Moony!" he waves cheerfully as Lily ticks off 5 points each from her own House. "The cupboard's free," he winks, "although James will have your head."

Remus groans and its Lily's turn to blush, her cheeks tinting prettily to match the color of her hair. And yes, Remus does catch himself thinking that his friend Lily Evans is indeed quite a beautiful girl. They turn their gaze away and start walking down the hallway again, there is a glimmer of _some_ kind of a feeling – merely a glimmer but still there.

Their conversation grows every day. The conversations are no longer snippets of moments in the hallway or short snatches of time beside the lake. The quiet hallways seem to slow down time, making way for deeper thoughts and more meaningful conversation, illuminated by the dancing lights of the dwindling lamps.  
They talk about their dreams, their future, and their O. W. L.s which is already looming upon them.  
They still steer away from the topic of friends.

He knows that her friend is slipping away further and further.  
She knows that his friends are getting cockier and cockier.

Honestly, he thinks her _friend_ is a git because of the company _he_ keeps and sometimes thinks she'll be better off without _him_. He never voices that opinion to her though, because he's still ashamed of his friends sometimes. More than that, he's ashamed of himself when he can't bring himself to stop them when they step too far past the line.

Honestly, she thinks his _friends_ are a bunch of prats because of what _they_ do to her friend and sometimes thinks he'll be better off without _them_. She never voices that opinion to him though, because she's still ashamed of her friend sometimes. More than that, she is ashamed of herself because she can't seem to bring him back before he steps too far past the line.

When there is a partly vindictive row between their respective friends, he can't bring himself to say anything because he assumes there must be some reason for her to be friends with Snape. So, all he can do is to silently hand her a piece of chocolate while walking back to the Gryffindor tower.  
She can't bring herself to say anything because she assumes there must be reason for him to be friends with the Marauders. So, all she can do is to silently accept the offered piece of chocolate while walking back to the Gryffindor tower.

It is also the year when Lily finds out about Remus's "furry little problem."

It is three months into the school year, winter air nipping at all of them, right before the Christmas holidays. Lily notices Remus's absence, _again,_ for the third time this year: one for each month. Curious and worried for her friend, she consults the various patrol schedules. There's a gaping hole every month in Remus's schedule all around a certain time. With the patrolling schedules laid out in front of her, the problem is spelled out quite clearly. It isn't hard to put two and two together when she contemplates back to all those absences these past _years._

She confronts him after they come back from the holidays, on one of their first patrols together. It's more a soft question than a confrontation, but Remus doesn't give an answer. Instead, he freezes up, his brown eyes wide with terror and tears away from her faster than she can tell him to wait. That is close enough to an answer for her.

When Lily crawls back through the portrait hole she is met by Black's suspicious glare. She ignores him and looks around in search for Remus. She sees a familiar muss of brown hair in the corner of the common room and heads straight for him, ignoring Black's protests. As she nears the corner, Lily spots another familiar jet black mop of a hair and inwardly braces herself for another ridiculous flirtatious comment. But that's not what she gets. Instead Lily finds herself at the end of a very serious scrutiny from James Potter. His face is impassive but his eyes are so sharp that she can't help but wonder whether his eyes had always been like that. They are deep and powerful, a mesmerizing shade of hazel.

She feels her face threatening to blush, a faint pink tinge rising for no reason, and she turns away from Potter to face her friend.

Lily notices patrolling schedules spread out in front of Remus. She notices that he is desperately trying to change any patrols he has with her.

"Remus," she calls and he nearly jumps out of his chair. "There's no need to change the schedule. It's fine."

Potter stares at her wearily as if unsure of what to say.

Tense brown eyes meet warm green ones as Remus remains frozen.  
Until he realizes that she really means what she said, and Remus slumps in relief and relaxes his features into a timid smile.

Lily realizes that it really is okay. A part of it may be because she's a muggleborn and the concept of werewolf doesn't really grab at her. Sure, she's learned about them in class and there were a few muggle legends, but she had never contemplated them as a flesh and blood threatening figure. Most of it is, however, simply because of the fact that Remus is her friend who wouldn't harm a fly (unless it was threatening his less than perfect friends).

Lily is not sure what makes her do it, but she hugs Remus lightly and gives him a quick peck on the cheek. It doesn't really mean anything; her heart isn't racing like she read in those Jane Austen novels.

Remus's heart does. At least Lily thinks its his, and not hers, but she can't really be sure any more about the steady thrumming during that quick hug. That glimmer of a feeling is now more than a glimmer– a shadow that lingers upon them.

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 **Whoo! Here is the second chapter! Thanks to all who read this. What did you do think of it? Good? Bad? Favorite and following or leaving a little review really makes my day!  
Thanks to the people who followed this story: LizzieBeckett, Miniroll with glasses, and Sharkisha the 3rd!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Fifth Year Part 2

If anything is to define their fifth year, other than Lily finding out about Remus's furry little problem, it's the incident with Severus Snape.

It starts out no differently than any other day. Exams are almost over and Remus feels confident and happy, happy enough to make a little inside joke about his condition. James and Sirius are bored, and Peter is just shining with admiration for the boys.  
It really is no different from other days as Remus sits under the shade of a tree, alternating between his book and throwing disapproving glances at his friends. He's sure everything will be fine. Maybe a few hexes here and there, but that was perfectly normal in the castle. The Slytherins throw their share of hexes as well, it shouldn't matter that his friends decide to play a little prank. Besides, what can he do to stop them? He voices these thoughts over and over again to himself and hides behind his book, behind his thoughts.

He should've stopped them.

Severus is turned upside down; Lily is angry, yes, but she's almost relieved. What with the discovery of Remus's secret and another side of James Potter among other things, it's almost as if her world has been turned upside down. With OWLs and patrols, she most certainly does not need the added weight of confusion. So, she almost welcomes the familiar fury that courses through, because the world has recovered its sense of normalcy. Potter is an arse and a bully. There is a strange kind of anger- dare she call it disappointment in James Potter? - which she quickly brushes way. She marches up to Potter, quick to defend her best friend as always. It really is no different from other days.

Except it's not.

The word rings out.

It stings. It cuts.  
It's as if she's the one turned upside down, because in a way it is. The eerie feeling of disorientation returns, but it's much more unpleasant this time. Because it hurts. She can barely register James Potter in the background. All she can do is clench her hands tight and somehow manage out some sort of a retort.  
Then she runs.

Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, it's Remus who finds her first.  
It's a little nook they discovered on a mostly empty corridor during their patrols. Lily sits there, her knees drawn up. Remus almost marvels at her cool demeanor. Almost. Her face is white, her mouth pressed in a firm line, but her green eyes are rimmed with red.  
He sits down next to her.  
She turns away.  
Silence falls.  
"I'm sorry," his words break the silence. Two words seem too small to convey everything he wants to say, but he says them as sincerely as he can, trying to make them count as much as they can.  
She's not sure if she should be mad at him or glad that he's here. She ends up sobbing, the kind of huge sobs that racks one's shoulders. A soft hand gently rests on her shoulders.

It was bound to happen, she thinks. In a world like this, in a time like this, with Sev-Snape's- group of friends and her very existence, it was bound to happen.  
It was bound to happen, he thinks. In a world like this, in a time like this, with boys as similar to one another as James and Snape and her very existence, it was bound to happen.  
He only wishes that he could have done something, to perhaps postpone it, to not see her cry like this. For the first time, he desperately regrets not intervening in his friends' cruel jokes. He is disappointed in himself for being a coward and turning a blind eye.

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 **Wow it's been a while!**

 **This part was interesting to write, it kind of wrote itself.**

 **I think the disclaimer at the beginning of this story should suffice.**

 **Thanks to Sharkisha the 3rd for reviewing!**

 **Reviews and favorites always make my day :)**


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